Control device



Oct. 13, 1942. c. F. HADDEN 7 2,293,751

I bonfnon DEVICE Filed 001. 14, 1941 s Sheets -Sheet 1 .64 L LENDER]? WAD/JEN;

Inventor Oct. 13, 1942.

c. F. HADDEN CONTROL DEVICE CALLfNDEl? I/MDDEN,

' By @waoifi.

Filed Oct. 14, 1941 6 Shams-Sheet f:

:Iiljg 3 Invent/1r Oct. 13, 1942. c. F. HADDEN CONTROL DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1941 V 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct 1942- A c. F. HADDEN 2,298,761

4 CONTROL mzvxcra Filed Opt. 14, 194i 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 lulu-mm Olaf/mm f' V0 /v,

-@Mmiw 6 Sheets-$heet 5 g kw )0 I Imentm (/u LENDER FH/IDDEN,

A Norma C. F. HADDEN CONTROL DEVICE Oct. 13, 1942.

Filed Oct. 14, 1941 Oct. 13, 1942.

c. F. HADDEN CONTROL DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed 001;. 14, 1941 fi ng A ttoruey Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT fOFFl CE ooN'rRo-L DEVICE .CallenderFaysoux Hadden, New Orleans, La. Application. October 14, 1941, Srial'No. 414,955

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and use- 'ful improvements in control devices, particularly for motor vehicles, although it "will be understood, of course, that the device may be used in connection with any other type of vehicle, machine or apparatus for which it ma be found adapted and desirable.

The primary object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, novel means whereby the accelerator, brakes and clutch of an automobile or other vehicle or device may be conveniently controlled with the feet, thus leaving both hands free at all times to be used for other purposes.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a control device of the aforementioned character which may be readily locked in any position, the locking means being operable by the same foot which actuates the device.

Still another very important object of the invention is to provide a foot-operated control device of the character described which may be expeditiously and accurately adjusted as desired to meet various conditions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a control device of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, talzen in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a control device constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing said device installed for operation in an automobile, a portion of said automobile being shown in vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 8 is a top plan view, showing another modification. H V v I Figure 9 is a view in vertical longitudinal sectibia, taken substantially on the line 9- 9 of Figu're'i8.

Ffii're 10 is a top plan view of another modiseamen. I p v Figure 11 is a View in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line I|--ll of Figure '10. V

eferring now to the rawings in detail, it will be seen that 'ie ffrloefnuifiral I designates generally a relatively ,fiat, elongated housing may beo'f any suitable metal. The hous ing Iis to be firmly secured any desired mann''r l'on the lib Q bd aid 2 (if a vehicle 3. AS mustr'ated to advantage in Figures L and 5 of the drawings, th'housing l is substantially channels aped incross-secti'oh and is provided, on its upper edges, with lohgitudinallyextending, inturned retaining flanges l. Mounted longitudinaiiy on the side waus 5 or the housing I, beheath the flanges 4', is apair 'of rack bars 6 the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

A foot-operated carriage! is operable longit udihally on the housing I. The carriage 1 comprises a plate 8 which is located above the housing I. Depending from the plate 8 into the housing I is a plurality of suitable bearings 9. Transver's'eshaft's I'O are journaled in the bearin'gs 9. Mounted on the end portions of the shafts 10 are supporting wheels II which are adapted to travellongitudinally on the bottom {2 of thejhousing l'benea'th the retaining flanges 4. Longitudinal guides (3 for the Wheels II are provided on the bottom l2 .of the housing I. Mounted on the front shaft Ill, between the bear-f ing's9', is a roller I4, the purpose of which will also be presently set forth;

Mounted on the plate 8 is a bracket [5, A foot plate 16' is ro'clgably mounted on the bracket l5.

Slida'blej in guides I! which are provided thereform thplate 8, forwardly ofthe bracket 15, is afootoperated bar i 8 which terminates in upturned endportions l9. Mounted beneath the plate8' is' a bracket" 20 having pivotally mounted thereorfa lever z I. One end portion of the lever 21' is operatively connected. to the bar, l8 by a pin and slot connection 22. Latches 23 are pivotallyconneoted to the lever 2! on opposite sides" of the a'xi's of said lever. The latches 23 are operableih suitable guides which are mounted beneath the plate' 8'. Th'e' fr'eeend portions of thelat clis 23' are engageable with the rackbars 6" for 're1easab1yseeurmg" the carriage l in any desired position. Mounted on the bar [8 is a spring latch 25. The latch is engageable in notches 26 in the bar [8 for securing the latches 23 in projected or retracted position.

slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation in the forward end portion of the housing I are plungers 21. J ournaled in guides 28 on the upper ends of the plungers 21 are pulleys 29. Operating straps 36 of suitable material are trained over the pulleys 21 and have one end adjustably secured, as at 3|, in the forward end portion of the housing I. The straps 36 pass under the roller I4 and have their other ends adjustably connected, as at 32, to the rear end of the housthe clutch 3! of the vehicle. Mounted on the upper end portion of the plunger 36 is a crosshead or the like 36 through which the plungers 21 are slidable. A coil spring 39 yieldingly urges the plunger 36 upwardly. The crosshead 38 is engageable by the guides 28 for moving the plunger 36 downwardly with the plungers 21 against the tension of the spring 39. The plunger 36 includes a threaded lower portion 46. Adjusting nuts 4| are threaded on the portion 40 for adjusting the plunger 36 and the crosshead 38 relative to the members 28 on the plungers 27. The nuts 4|, it will be noted, are engaged beneath the bottom I2 of the housing I. A substantially U-shaped guide 42 is provided beneath the housing l for the plungers 21 and 36.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to depress the plungers 21 and 36, a foot is engaged on the plate [6 and the carriage 1 is moved forwardly on the housing I Thus, the roller I4, traveling on the straps 36, pulls the plungers 21 downwardly against the tension of the coil springs 33. As the plungers 21 move downwardly the guides 28 engage the crosshead 38 and force the plunger 36 downwardly against the tension of its coil spring 39. Then, by shifting the foot into engagement with one of the upturned end portions l9 of the bar I8 and actuating said bar, the latches 23 may be projected into engagement with the rack bars 6 for firmly locking the carriage 1 in any desired position. Coil springs 44 (see Fig. 6) retract the carriage I when the latches 23 are disengaged from the rack bars 6.

In Figure 7 of the drawings, there is shown an embodiment for actuating an accelerator. Toward this end, the device comprises a single plunger 45 to be operatively connected to the accelerator. Then, a strap 46, operable by the roller I4 on the carriage 1, depresses the plunger 45.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, a vertically slidable plunger 46 extends upwardly into the housing I. A roller 41 is journaled on the upper end of the plunger 46. Mounted beneath the forward end portion of the comparatively long plate of the carriage I is a cam 48. The cam 48 is adapted to travel on the roller 41 for depressing the plunger 46 when the carriage 1 is moved forwardly in the housing I.

Referring now to the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings, reference numeral 49 designates a cam which is adjustably mounted beneath the plate 8 of the carriage 1. Of course, the adjustable cam 49 travels on the roller 41 of the plunger 46 for depressing the latter. As seen in Figure 10 of the drawings, the cam 49 is wide enough to engage two or more plungers.

It is believed that the many advantages of a control device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although preferred embodiments of said device are as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that further modifications and changes in the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A control device of the character described comprising an elongated housing, a plunger slidable in said housing, rack bars mounted longitudinally in the housing, a foot-operated carriage movable longitudinally on the housing, said carriage including a plate and supporting wheels on said plate operable in the housing, a slidable footoperated bar mounted transversely on the plate, a lever pivotally mounted beneath the plate and operatively connected to said bar, and latches operatively connected to said lever and engageable with the rack bars for releasably securing the. carriage against movement relative to the; housing.

2. A control device of the character described.

. comprising an elongated, substantially channel-- shaped housing, a plunger slidable in said hous-- ing, a carriage movable longitudinally on the: housing, said carriage including a plate posiw tioned above the housing and supporting wheels for said plate operable in said housing, longitudinal guides for the wheels in the housing, longitudinal retaining flanges for the wheels on the. upper portions of the housing, rack bars mounted longitudinally on the side walls of the housing, a footplate mounted on the first-named plate, a slidable foot-operated bar mounted transversely on said first-named plate and including upturned end portions, a lever pivotally mounted beneath said first-named plate and operatively connected to the foot bar, latches operatively connected to said lever and engageable with the rack bars for releasably securin the carriage against movement relative to the housing, resilient latch means on the first-named plate for releasably securing the foot bar against movement, and means operatively connecting the plunger to the, carriage for actuation thereby.

3. A control device of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger slidable in said housing, a flexible member operatively connected to the plunger and having its ends anchored to the housing, a carriage operable on the housing, and a roller on the carriage operatively engaged with said flexible member for actuating the plunger.

4. A control device of the character described comprising a housing, a plunger slidably mounted on said housing, spring means for actuating the plunger in one direction, a pulley journaled. on the plunger, a flexible member having its ends anchored to the housing, said member being trained over the pulley, a foot-operated carriage movable on the housing, and a roller on said carriage engaged with the flexible member for actuating the plunger in the opposite direction.

5. A control device of the character described 6. A control device of the character described comprising an elongated housing, a plunger slidable in the housing, a foot-operated carriage movable in the housing, said carriage including a plate and supporting wheels mounted beneath said plate, a cam adjustably mounted beneath the plate and engageable with the plunger for moving said plunger in one direction, and foot-operated means on the carriage engageable with the housing for releasably locking said carriage against movement relative to said housing.

CALLENDER F. HADDEN. 

